


The First Wizarding War

by ConsultingTimelordWizard



Series: Siriusly Granger Time Travel Fics [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Marauders' Era, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-06 09:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3129323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsultingTimelordWizard/pseuds/ConsultingTimelordWizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione Granger is struck by a curse that sends her back in time to the era of the Marauders. How will this effect her future, and will she ever get back home? And why is she suddenly feeling an attraction to one Sirius Black?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally started this piece back in 2011/2012 on fanfiction.net, but four/three years later, I've decided to revisit the piece and rewrite it into something that is much better than any work that could be done in eighth grade. If anyone wanted to see and compare the two pieces (only seven chapters were posted, unfortunately), you can look it up on FF.net under the same title, written by Time-Lady-Rose.
> 
> ANYWAY, I've always wanted to know how the first wizarding war went, all before the Battle of Hogwarts and Voldemort's final fall. Seeing that we may not be getting a marauder's book anyway, I thought I'd try my hand at it? 
> 
> (Plus Sirius/Hermione is actually cute, given the right circumstances, hence time travel.)
> 
> Well, I'm going to stop rambling now. Enjoy!

Hermione Granger didn’t remember much of what happened. Battle raged all around her--left, right, up, down, surrounding her until she felt as if she couldn’t breathe. Bodies rose, bodies fell. People cried, died, and were filled with boiling rage as loved ones were lost. Hermione was far from the exception.  


Harry Potter, her best friend, was going to his death, and she couldn’t stop him. That would fill anyone with rage.  


So no, Hermione didn’t remember much, nor did she see the man--no, the murderer, the Death Eater--come up behind her. She did, however, hear Ron Weasley (whom she had just shared a kiss with earlier during the battle. The thought still made her heart flutter even in her time of peril) shout for her to look out, but at that point it was too late to do anything. All she could do was try to duck down and out of the way, though that act in itself was futile and wasted nothing but her last moments of life, her last moment of being able to look at her remaining (alive) best friend, as she heard the Death Eater shout the incantation and felt the pain hit her hard on her back, knocking her to the ground and taking the breath away from her.  


Hermione Granger was struck hard, and it didn’t take long for the world around her to fall black.  


o.O.o  


Normally, Sirius Black didn’t question girls randomly appearing before him. He was, after all, a ladies man. However, when said girl is an unconscious, bloody, and literally appears from nowhere at his feet, Sirius figured he could, just this once, make an exception.  


The girl nearly tripped both he and James Potter, actually. One moment the path was clear, and the next...well, it wasn’t. It was quite a shock, as one could imagine.  


“What the hell?” James exclaimed, taking a step back in shock.  


“You could say that again, mate,” Sirius said, eyes wide. There was no doubt in his mind that she was beautiful, but for once, he didn’t focus on that. “Reckon she goes here?”  


“I doubt it. We’d know who she was if she did, wouldn’t we?”  


“Maybe.” That couldn’t be possible, however. How could a Hogwarts student end up in this condition? It was the safest place on Earth!  


“James? Sirius?”  


The two turned around at the sound of their names to see Lily Evans staring at them in horror. Shite, Sirius thought. This couldn’t be good.  


“What the hell happened?” the redhead exclaimed as she saw the brunette on the ground. “What did you do to that poor girl?”  


“We did nothing, we swear!” James insisted, backing up. “She just...it was like she Apparated in front of us. We’re just as confused as you are.”  


Lily looked doubtful, slowly walking closer to the girl on the ground and gasping. “She’s covered in blood. Get her to the Hospital Wing, you two. I’ll go get Professor Dumbledore.”  


James and Sirius didn’t need to be told twice.  


o.O.o  


The first thing she felt was pain.  


It pulsed throughout her entire building, though it wasn’t as strong as Hermione had expected. Something soft was under her body, and the room smelled so clean and sterile that she could only be in one place. She groaned and shifted, trying to gather her surroundings. Right, she was definitely in the Hospital Wing. What confused her, however, was the lack of metalic smell that came with blood and battle. Maybe it hadn’t been harmed? How convenient. But how did she get here in the first place? Hermione frowned and opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling.  


The war must be over, then.  


“Hey! She’s waking up.”  


Hermione glanced over, vision slightly blurry. She squinted as light shined through the window and into her eyes, making it even harder to see than before (fantastic). The first thing that came into her vision when it started to clear was messy, black hair, and she gasped. Merlin, he was alive! 

“Harry!” Hermione tried to sit up, but was held down by someone she wasn’t looking at (nor did she care to look at). “Where’s Ron? What happened? We won the war, right?”  


The figure frowned, and her vision cleared as confused eyes stared down at her. Not green...oh. That wasn’t…”You’re not Harry.”  


“Er, no. I’m not. Who’s Harry?” he asked, looking confused. “I’m James, James Potter. You’re…” He looked at a piece of parchment. “Hermione, right?”  


Hermione froze, not confirming anything. Oh no, no, no. This was not good, very not good. James Potter. Harry’s dad. Shite.  


“You alright?” a second voice--the person who was holding her down--asked. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”  


Slowly, hesitantly, Hermione looked over, and she paled further. Sirius Black. These two were supposed to be dead. Hell, she had seen Sirius die in front of her very own eyes (and she had perfect vision, thank you very much). This wasn’t possible.  


“I think I’m going to be sick,” she whispered, closing her eyes tightly. She heard both boys shuffle around, followed by rather loud whispering, but Hermione didn’t focus on what they were saying. All she knew was that she was currently in the same room as two dead men who meant a lot to her best friend. They were rather alive, and young as well. Merlin, they looked her own age! This wasn’t possible. She no longer had a time turner, so how could this happen at all? Unless…  


Oh. The spell.  


“Sirius, James, is she awake?”  


Hermione opened her eyes and froze once again as she saw a redhead enter the room, green eyes looking toward her in concern. Lily Evans. There was no doubt in her mind that the dead mother of Harry Potter was currently standing in front of her, walking toward her, sitting next to her and chewing her bottom lip. “Hi. Hermione, was it? Are you alright?”  


“Um...yeah. I’m fine.” Hermione ignored Sirius trying to keep her down on the bed again, forcing herself to sit up despite the dizziness that she felt as she did so and looking at the young woman beside her. “You... you’re Lily. You’re Sirius, and you’re James. I...I can’t be here, this isn’t good, so not good--”  


“Hermione, calm down,” Lily insisted, taking her hand. “What’s wrong?” A pause. “How do you know who we are?”  


“...I’m from the future,” she slowly said, taking her hand away from the woman. “I can’t be here, can’t mess up my future. I need Professor Dumbledore.” He was alive at this point. How many ghosts was she going to see before she made it back home? “Get me the professor, please.”  


The three students looked uncertain, but didn’t need to do anything at all.  


“You asked for me, Miss Granger?”  


Hermione looked over and took a deep breath. “Professor,” she said, facing him. “I need your help. I--”  


“I know your situation, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said quickly, cutting her off. “Madame Pomfrey informed me of the situation.”  


Hermione frowned deeply. “I...how?”  


“An interesting scar on your back.” He walked over, holding up a piece of parchment with a strange drawing on it.  


“...that looks like a time turner.”  


“Precisely. This spell is where the design was originated, you see. It’s old magic, dark magic. Not to be taken likely.” Dumbledore looked at her. “It’s not easy to send a victim of it back to where they came from.”  


“Then what do I do?” Hermione asked desperately, ignoring the confused (and awed?) looks on the other’s faces.  


“For now I suggest you stay here, at least until the potion to return you is completed,” Dumbledore said gently, noticing how distressed Hermione was becoming. “I assume you attend Hogwarts?”  


“Yes, professor. Seventh year.”  


“Very good. And your house?”  


“Gryffindor, sir.”  


“Alright.” He looked at the other three Gryffindors. “Miss Evans, if you could be so kind as to take Miss Granger down to Hogsmeade. I’m certain they’ll be more than happy to provide some robes and uniforms to Miss Granger. Tell them it’s a request from myself.”  


“Yes, professor.”  


“I’ll see that there is an extra bed for Miss Granger in Gryffindor. Misters Potter and Black, help Miss Evans make Miss Granger feel welcome here during her stay, and do be sure not to press for information about the future from her. I’m sure you understand how that could be a drastic thing to do.”  
“Yes, sir.”  


“Very good,” Dumbledore said happily, standing. “Now run along. And Miss Granger?”  


“Yes, sir?” Hermione asked, looking up at the older man uncertainly. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this unsure.  


“Welcome to Hogwarts again. You’ll be back home soon.” Dumbledore smiled gently at her, and Hermione couldn’t help but smile back at the man as everyone went on to their own business and she was dragged along by Lily toward Hogsmeade.  


Everything would turn out alright.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione is staying back in time. This would be interesting.

“So...you’re from the future?”

 

Hermione sighed softly, glancing over at the redheaded girl beside her. She should have figured there would be questions. Yes, Dumbledore had said not to ask her about the events that will unfold, but honestly, who was going to resist even one question? Hermione had always considered herself and Lily to be alike--two Muggleborns in the wizarding world and determined to prove themselves worth the gift--so really, receiving the question was expected from Lily Evans more than anyone else.

 

Well, anyone else besides James and Sirius. If the two were anything like Fred and George (and judging from the Marauder’s Map the twins had obtained, they were at this point in time), they would certainly not be far behind in the interrogation. 

 

“Yeah, I am. Can’t say much else, I’m afraid,” she finally answered, watching Lily deflate a little. Sorry, Lily, she thought.

 

“That’s fine. I didn’t really expect you to, anyway.” She was quiet for a moment. “Can you say how far?”

 

That couldn’t hurt anything, could it? “I’ll be born in a few years. I’m twenty years into your future currently, however.” Hermione looked ahead again, watching the wizarding village come closer into view as they walked. “This trip was a little sudden.”

 

Lily smiled softly. “I’m sure. Professor Dumbledore said you were hit by a spell?”

 

“Yeah, I was.” She frowned. “Old magic, by the looks of it. I haven’t heard of any spell that can send students back into time.” 

 

“Neither have I. Then again, who knows what the Ministry hides from us?”

 

That didn’t help lighten the mood much at all. “Yeah. Who knows?”

 

An awkward silence passed between them before Lily once again tried for conversation. “So...tell me about yourself. Family, friends, whatever.”

 

That she could do. “Oh, um...well, I was born to Muggles. They’re dentists.” Hermione smiled a bit. “I found out I had magic when I was seven, actually. I had read a book called Matilda, who was a girl with special powers. She controlled things with her mind. I tried, and...well, the book started floating. My parents nearly had a heart attack.” She smiled more when Lily laughed. “Anyway, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall came to my house not long after in place of the Ministry, deciding to explain themselves what was going on with me, that I’d be attending Hogwarts to help learn to control my ability. They eventually agreed, and I studied for months after we went shopping for my school supplies.” Hermione puffed up proudly. “They always called me the brightest witch of my age...not necessarily true, I suppose--” Ron and Harry would probably flip if they heard her say otherwise, truthfully “--but it’s nice to hear I am rather good. Harry and Ron would frankly be dead or at least expelled if I hadn’t stepped in.”

 

Hermione trailed off, blushing when she realized she had been rambling. “Sorry. I’m not normally that much of a chatter box.”

 

Surprisingly, Lily chuckled. “Don’t worry. You haven’t heard Remus go off on a rant about something he is passionate about quite yet. That’s a ramble.” She bit her lip. “Unless you have already?”

 

“Maybe once or twice. I’m not saying anything more though, Lily.” Hermione smiled a bit, and Lily nodded.

 

“Fair enough. It’s nice to hear your experiences though. I’m a Muggleborn, too.”

 

I know, Hermione didn’t say. “Guess we have something in common after all.”

 

Lily smiled kindly. “Yeah. I suppose we do.”

 

o.O.o

 

If Sirius didn’t shut up about wooing one Hermione Granger within the next few minutes, James swore he was going to scream.

 

Now, don’t get him wrong. Many a days have been spent listening to Sirius plot his next romantic or otherwise exploit to charm numerous amounts of women either on a date, into bed, or (on more occasions than none) both on the same night, but this time James couldn’t even distract the man for five minutes to save his mind. He wasn’t innocent himself, admittedly. He’s spent years upon years talking to the man (and Remus and Peter) about getting Lily Evans to be his girlfriend, but he didn’t think he was this bad. He himself was in love with the woman; James was one hundred percent certain this was just Sirius wanting to get into the girl’s trousers. 

 

“Padfoot, shut up for five minutes. Please,” he eventually said, growing frustrated. “I get it, you want Hermione Granger like man needs oxygen, but she’s from the bloody future. It will never work!”

 

“You, my friend, have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sirius said, scowling at his friend and flopping onto the common room couch like it was his bed. Most days, it was. “Time differences mean nothing to me.”

 

“They will when you want her again and she’s who knows how many years ahead of our time.”

 

“Oi! She’s not that far--she knows who we are.” Sirius looked over at his best friend, watching as he tossed a ball of some sort up into the air, reaching to catch it and almost rolling off the other couch when the reach was a bit further than normal. “It’s not that far, unless we are immortal and live forever.”

 

James snorted. “Unlikely. Still, for all we know she could be a child of ours.”

 

“Also unlikely, Prongs my friend. She would have called one of us dad if she was.”

 

“She’s yet to meet Mooney or Wormtail.”

 

“She’s probably not Remus’ kid, and if you really believe that Peter will have children in his future, then you’ve finally gone bonkers, mate.”

 

“Hey, it could happen, you realize.” He sat up. “Watch, Peter Pettigrew will have the most successful life of us all. I bet twenty Galleons on it.”

 

James smirked and reached his hand out. Sirius took it and shook it firmly. “Deal. Bring it on, Padfoot.”

 

“Oh, you’re on, Prongs.”

 

That was when the Fat Lady sang, the portrait door opened, and Lily Evans and Hermione Granger--both women in question--walked into the room. Both women held bags in one hand, a travel mug (they sold those there?) of some sort of hot drink (James thought butterbeer) in the other hand, and both were laughing about something that he wasn’t sure of. He really hoped it wasn’t about him. He didn’t think Lily would joke about him. Then again, Lily Evans was a mystery in herself. James never knew what to expect from the fiery woman.

 

“What’s so amusing, ladies?” Sirius asked, standing up. They looked over, and Lily shook her head.

 

“Nothing concerning you, Black. What are you two doing?”

 

“Plotting Sirius’ latest romantic exploit,” James said, rolling his eyes and jumping out of his seat. He went over to them, offering his hands to them both. “I can take your bags. You go sit down.”

 

Hermione raised an eyebrow and slowly handed her bags over, while Lily blushed lightly and did the same. “Thank you, James.”

 

“Yes, thank you,” Hermione echoed, looking between the two men. “Romantic exploit? With whom?”

 

“Oh, I was thinking Melissa Geyer,” he said nonchalantly, and James whistled. 

 

“She’s something, isn’t she?”

 

“Exactly. That woman will be mine, you can count on that.”

 

Lily frowned, and Hermione crossed her arms. “You say that as if you’ll own her.” 

 

“Oh, Granger. I own everyone with my charms.” Sirius winked, and she frowned further. 

 

“Well, everyone but me, I suppose. Lily, show me to the dorms?”

 

Lily looked like she was going to say something--someone from the future of Hogwarts would know the way already, right?--but she saw the expression on the other girl’s face and changed her mind. “Alright. Let’s go.”  
The girls left, and James laughed. “You’re so screwed.”

 

Sirius scowled and threw a pillow from the couch at the other. “Sod off.”

 

o.O.o

 

“Sirius Black is such an arse,” Hermione grumbled, falling back onto her newly summoned bed and staring up at the grey ceiling above. Now, she wasn’t one who would consider herself to be an active member of the feminist movement--she had more pressing matters to attend to when it came to priorities (for example, Lord Voldemort traipsing through the land and killing millions based purely on his beliefs while she, Harry, and Ron tried to find a way to kill the bloody man)--but Sirius saying that the girl, Melissa, would be his, sounding like he had ownership over her, really pressed a nerve in her. The anger was an overreaction (different time period, different thoughts on what was appropriate, etc.), but Hermione felt the anger nonetheless. 

 

“It’s just the way he is,” Lily said, watching Hermione from her bed and playing with her hair. The latter girl sighed and closed her eyes. She knew that, of course. She, Harry, and the Weasley family had lived in Grimmauld Place with Sirius in fifth year, so she was more than accustomed to Sirius’ nature and habits. Of course, being wrongfully imprisoned in Azkaban (wizarding prison) for twelve years at the hand of a former best friend’s betrayal would change one’s outlook on life, and personality traits would certainly change as dementors floated by the bars of a cell, sucking out everything remotely happy from the depths of the human soul that possessed the prisoner’s body.

 

Merlin, she was thinking way too much. That description was like she had taken it from a novel. The point was, she knew that those twelve years had changed Sirius drastically, so this version of the dead man was something Hermione should have honestly expected.

 

“I know,” Hermione eventually said, not caring about secrecy for a moment. She couldn’t keep it all in--it would drive her insane. Really, she could trust Lily, couldn’t she? The girl was the future mother of her best friend. Besides, she wouldn’t be telling her anything important. “It’s just...he’s a bit different, in my timeline. Settled, I suppose? More mature. It’s hard to get used to a different personality of someone you already know.”  
Lily smiled knowingly, crossing her legs in a pretzel-style. “I know. James took a turn last year, became someone I had never seen before. He’s...sweet.” She blushed, and Hermione sat up.

 

“Do you like him?”

 

“You’re from the future, Hermione. You of all people would know whether or not I liked the man.”

 

“Not from where I am. When I am?” She frowned at the tense confusion. Whatever. “I mean now, in your present. Do you like him?”

 

Lily blushed further, enough to compete with the red of her hair. “Um...that’s complicated. The man is a complete prick, and--”

 

“And you like him.” Hermione smiled softly. “People change and mature, Lily. You said so yourself: James changed from last year.”

 

Lily chewed her lip and finally nodded, a small smile on her lips. “Then yeah, I guess I do. Merlin help me, but I do like James Potter.”

 

“Then why don’t you do something about it?”

 

“Because, like I said, he’s still a prick. How am I to know whether he’s matured enough to date?”

 

Hermione was quiet for a moment, considering the girl in front of her. She really should be in the library, looking up ways to get back home. However, if the magic is as old as she thought and as dark as Dumbledore claimed, then trying to create a way home would prove futile, and her time and energy would be wasted. However...while she was here, she could study the people who were important in Harry’s life and (surprisingly) her own. If that meant a little meddling in the meantime, well...that wasn’t a bad thing. Not as long as she didn’t change anything drastic, at least.

 

Hermione grinned at Lily and straightened. “Don’t worry, Lily. Leave that to me.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bringing Lily and James together turns out harder than Hermione thought it would be.

The task in question was, unsurprisingly, harder than it sounded. 

 

Why, oh why, did Hermione think it was a good idea to promise Lily such a thing? She had no way of proving the maturity of James Potter. She didn’t even know the man, so such a task was next to impossible. Hermione groaned and dropped her head into her hands, closing her eyes. She was an idiot, an absolute idiot, and now she had to find a way to worm her way into the tight-knit group that was the Marauders.

 

How would she even go about doing such a thing? Thinking about it made her frown, and she brushed her bushy brown hair back in thought. James and Sirius knew she was from the future. They probably had an idea that she knew who at least James was, unless calling him by his future son’s name was taken purely as her head injury. Actually...Merlin, she hoped that were the case. She’d play it off as that the best she could. Still, that left her to the fact that she actually knew three of these men in her timeline. She also knew that all four of these men were dead. How would she get away with this? She knew how haunted Sirius was as an adult. She knew how traitorous Peter was. She knew the depression Remus felt. She knew...well, she knew nothing of James. Nothing save for the fact that he was the chaser of the Gryffindor team in this time period, and that he died trying to save his wife and child.

 

Well, at least his death wasn’t completely in vain.

 

“Why the long face, love?”

 

Hermione frowned and blinked, realizing that she’d been staring ahead, eyes unfocused. She hadn’t even noticed one Sirius Black walk up to her chair and sit on the arm of it. Blimey, she was a mess.  
“You would be too if you were thrown out of time, Sirius.”

 

He hummed in thought. “You want to talk about it?”

 

“No!” Hermione shook her head quickly. “I can’t, you heard Dumbledore. It could change the future--my present--drastically, and who knows the outcome?” She didn’t want to go back to a period where Voldemort was possibly thriving and all of her friends were dead. All because she told Sirius Black what happened to whom. Sirius, meanwhile, looked rather put out by the rejection Hermione gave him.

 

“Ouch. You don’t trust I can keep a secret?”

 

“Honestly? No. I don’t know you, Sirius Black.” She sighed and looked down at the floor again. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you anything. I just...I can’t.”

 

He sighed and shifted from the arm of her chair to the floor. “I see.”

 

“Do you really?”

 

“No, I’m kind of hoping that you’ll still tell me.”

 

Hermione wanted to scream. “You’re ridiculous.”

 

“No, I’m Sirius.”

 

Hermione decided that she would get no where with the teenager at this rate. Especially if he decided to keep making puns like that. “I won’t tell you anything, and that’s that.” Still… “Would you mind leading me to the kitchen? I’m not supposed to really know where any of these things are.”

 

Earlier that day, Dumbledore had announced an exchange student (her) that had come for the remainder of the year from Beauxbatons in France. Hermione supposed that made sense, having an exchange student rather than just someone randomly enroll into the school in their final year. Of course, three people knew that the headmaster’s lie was a load of bullocks--four, if you counted Hermione herself--but none of them said a word. Now everyone was interested in one Hermione Granger, and Hermione was shocked and flattered by the sudden popularity she had gained. It was curiosity, yes, but still, even as one of the Golden Trio (an odd name given to she, Ron, and Harry) and Harry Potter’s best friend, she was never quite that popular at all. In fact, unless she was needed for something, most people choose to ignore her (save for her friends, of course). It never bothered her anymore, seeing that even when enrolled in Muggle school she wasn’t that popular. 

 

That all being said, the interest everyone had taken in her was overwhelming. At least Hermione spoke French.

 

“Hermione?”

 

Hermione looked up, startled out of her reflection as Sirius stared at her in confusion. “Hm? Oh! Yes, the kitchen. Please?”

 

Sirius chuckled softly and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go. You didn’t eat much at dinner.”

 

They walked toward the exit, and she nodded. “It’s hard to eat when everyone stares at you like a puzzle.”

 

“You are one.” He shrugged. “Everyone wants to figure you out.”

 

Hermione snorted, covering her mouth. Oh, that was embarrassing. “Well, good luck with that. I’m impossible to solve, ask Harry or Ron.”

 

“Kind of can’t.” Still, Sirius flashed a grin. “Is that a challenge, Granger?”

 

“And if it is?”

 

“Then bring it on.”

 

Hermione smiled softly, nodding. This would be interesting. “You’re on.”

 

o.O.o

 

Remus Lupin didn’t often question occurrences, because often they were for a reason.

 

For example, his becoming a werewolf, while something he hated with every fiber of his being, was something that was meant to happen, he was sure of it. Why else would it happen? He believed strongly in fate, as cruel as it was, and unfortunately, this was his. It lead to him meeting his three best friends, which was good, but the fate was cruel nonetheless. 

 

Still, Hermione Granger appearing out of, quite literally, no where had him questioning fate. He’d never heard of her in his life, and he wasn’t quite sure he believed the exchange student story Professor Dumbledore had told the students of Hogwarts that evening at dinner. Everything about her just seemed off, and by Merlin he wasn’t going to let this tale spin without figuring out why it was.

 

So no, Remus Lupin didn’t often question occurrences, but he’d be damned if he didn’t find out what this one was about.

 

o.O.o

 

“You’ll need to make up a life for yourself here.”

 

Hermione sighed and looked over at James and Sirius, watching as they competed against each other in a rather intense game of wizard chess. She winced as Sirius’ knight unsheathed his sword and sliced James’ pawn, watching it crumble and the knight slide to where it had been. James scowled while Sirius looked rather pleased.

 

“Why do you think I’ve been writing for the past hour?”

 

“Dunno.” James looked over. “Why write it down? It’s a waste of time and parchment. That stuff isn’t cheap.”

 

“Then what, pray tell, do you suggest?”

 

“Make it up as you go!”

 

“...pardon?”

 

“You heard him.” Sirius leaned back, biting into a biscuit they’d snatched from the kitchen earlier. “How do you think we get away with what we do?”

 

“I haven’t the slightest idea of what you mean.” Though she did, she wasn’t about to slip. Sirius made a face before covering it up, not about to show his disappointment. Hermione smirked and looked down to her parchment again, tapping her quill against her inkwell. “Though if you’d like to help convince the others of Professor Dumbledore’s story, be my guest. Take a look at what I have down.”

 

James, sighing in the defeat of his chess pieces, took her paper and read it over. He wrinkled his nose. “Granger, this is rubbish.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“No one will believe any of this! It’s predictable. No one is this perfect at school, let alone school at Beauxbaton.”

 

Hermione scowled. “I’ll have you know that I was top of my class before Vol--” She froze, shrinking slightly under the surprised gazes of James and Sirius. Damn. She really mucked up this time. Still, she tried to cover up. “...I was top of my class before I got sent back twenty years.”

 

Neither boy bought her cover up, both leaning toward her intently. “Hermione,” James began slowly. “I...You-Know-Who. He’s still around?”

 

Damn it to hell. “And if he was?”

 

“Then that’s bloody awful,” Sirius said with a scowl. “He’ll still be terrorizing us all in twenty year’s time? I’m sure half the population is in hiding because of that.”

 

Hermione sighed and looked down, rubbing her arm absently. They really didn’t want to know. Sirius would know in due time. “...more than half.” Why was she telling them? She didn’t have to because she slipped. “Doesn’t matter, anyway. You both need to focus on studying for your NEWTs.”

 

They blanched. “Study? Us? Never!”

 

“I’d be surprised to find them studying,” came a familiar voice, and Hermione looked up as Lily walked into the room, flanked by two other Gryffindor seventh years. “They just don’t, it’s not their thing.”  
James smirked, the future obviously forgotten at the moment. At least, Hermione’s was. “You know what is my thing, Evans?”

 

“Go away, Potter.”

 

“You are,” he continued, appearing to not have heard her. “How about we go to Hogsmeade this weekend, just you and me? Head to the Three Broomsticks, have some butterbeer.”

 

Lily snorted indignantly. “As if I’d go with you. Besides, I’m heading there with Severus. He’s much better company.”

 

Hermione froze. Severus Snape? Oh, bloody hell.

 

“Snivellus? You honestly think he’s better company than me?”

 

“As a matter of fact, yes. You, on the other hand, are far from my prefered company. Goodbye.” She huffed off, and Hermione watched James groan.

 

“I’ll get her someday.”

 

“Not like that,” Hermione snorted. James looked over.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You’re arrogant, immature, and honestly just plain old rude, James Potter. If you really want to go out with Lily Evans, you’ll have to stop being a prat around her.”

 

James stared at her. “I...what?”

 

“Are you serious about going out with her?”

 

James was quiet for a long moment. “More than anything.”

 

Hermione smiled softly. “If you help me make up my life, I’ll help you woo Lily Evans.” She couldn’t believe she was doing this, but James’ hopeful face convinced her that this was something she could definitely do.  
“You mean it?” 

 

“Yeah. Now help me out.”

 

James nodded and went to help make her life convincing, Sirius watching them curiously. Hermione Granger was an odd girl indeed.


End file.
